Evening on the Ground
by EllieBear75
Summary: AU coffee shop meet-cute while trapped together in a blizzard and forced to sleepover. Originally posted as a series for the AO3 VMHQ Milestone Followers 1000 Word Fic Challenge. (I have posted each story as a chapter in this fic instead.)
1. Evening on the Ground

Veronica hammered frantically on the keyboard of her laptop. She knew the coffee shop closed shortly, but she only needed 1000 more words to finish her essay. 1000 words…how hard could that be to crank out?

"Um, miss?"

 _Shit._

Turning slightly in her red velvet, high-backed chair, she pasted on her biggest smile, giving her long blond hair a slight toss.

"Hi! Look, I'm sorry. I'll leave shortly. I promise. I just really need to finish this essay," she said to the barista who had been serving her since 9:00 a.m.

"Yeah…um...no problem…" the tall young man with the shaggy brown hair stated. "I just figured that you may want a couple of cookies, on the house. I usually give them to the homeless guy out back, at the end of the day, but –"

"Thanks! But I'm not homeless, if that's why you think I've been here all day. It's just my deadbeat musician ex-boyfriend was taking my money and not paying the electric bill and I didn't know until this morning when I couldn't turn on my lights, or cook breakfast," she blathered, realizing she may have consumed too much coffee. "And it's my only day to do homework because I work so much and I have two essays due at 8:30 tomorrow morning."

A smile tugged at the corner of the barista's mouth, moving up to his soft chocolate brown eyes. "No problem. I'm not kicking you out. Take all the time you need. But I have a feeling you may get an extension on those papers."

Veronica's forehead wrinkled. "What? Why would you say that?"

He let out a chuckle and jerked his thumb towards the front windows. "Have you turned around in the last five-hours?"

Veronica stood up to look towards the door. Her mouth dropped open at the sight.

Snow. Lots of snow. So much snow the drifts were up to the windows. So much that she was sure her tiny five-foot body would get buried by it on the walk home.

"This doesn't happen in California," she muttered.

"You're from Cali too?"

Veronica's head snapped back to the young man. He was still holding out the cookies in offering to her. Smiling, she reached over and took the edge of the plate, maneuvering it down next to her laptop on the small table.

"Yeah. I'm from Neptune," she said. "How about you?"

He reached around and rubbed the back of his neck. "L.A. I came out to New York about three years ago."

Glancing momentarily at the name tag affixed to his apron, she looked back up into his puppy dog eyes. _Logan_. Had he always worked here? She was sure she would have noticed a barista this cute when she got her morning coffee each day.

"Logan, is it?" she said, trying to sound nonchalant. "I'm Veronica."

He took her small hand in his big paw and shook it softly. "Nice to meet you, Veronica. So, what brought you to New York?"

Veronica gave a thick chuckle. Gesturing to the seat across from her, she slipped back into her chair and grabbed a cookie off her plate.

"Law school. Musician boyfriend. A desperate need to get out of my hell hole of a town," she replied, taking a nibble of her cookie. "How about you?"

"Ahhh," Logan began hesitantly, dropping into the chair. "I ran away after my mom died. Took the money she left me and bolted as far away from my old man as I could get."

"Oh," Veronica gasped. "I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. Overshare," he said, his eyes dropping for a moment to his hands pulled into his sleeves like a child. "I'm just kind of exhausted from working since 6 a.m. and I'm not thinking too clearly."

Veronica quirked her eyebrow. "I think that's illegal. It's well past midnight. Did you get your breaks today? I just did one of my pre-law courses on employment standards and –"

"Don't worry about suing them, future lawyer. The owners are like my family." Logan let out a small chuckle and swept his hand down his face. "I live upstairs with them – have since I was 16. But they're away - on their first vacation in 10 years - so I'm holding down the fort. When I'm not in school as well."

"Oh," Veronica giggled, a little embarrassed. "Thought maybe you were being taken advantage of."

"Nope. Haven't been taken advantage of in a while," he quipped. "Too busy for that."

Veronica was positive her blush reached all the way to her toes.

"Where do you take classes?" she asked, trying to deflect attention away from herself.

"Pace. I'm with the acting program," he replied, leaning back in his chair.

Veronica nodded. The unexpected tickle in her stomach began to spread through her body. There was something about the man across from her – his soft round face, those kind eyes, the way his lip curled into a smirk – that made Veronica want to learn more about him. A lot more.

Logan cleared his throat, breaking Veronica of her thoughts. "Look. Ummm, I don't know where you live, but it's pretty dangerous outside…I've been listening to the reports on the news," he began, his cheeks turning pink. "And if you want, you can crash upstairs at my place...I mean, the owner's place. And I would sleep in my room. By myself. Alone."

A cold chill swept through Veronica. Strange man. Strange home. Strange circumstance. "I can't," she blurted, a little louder than she intended. "I mean, you seem nice, but I had something happen once, something…bad…and I just don't think…"

Logan's hands flew up, waving in front of him frantically. "Oh God, I'm sorry. I just thought it was safer than going outside. I get it, I mean –" he rambled awkwardly. "My dad. He used to beat me. Which is why I left. So I get being scared. And I didn't mean to. Scare you, that is."

Veronica's hands came up to her chest. Her heart was beating so hard, she was sure it was going to fall right out of her chest. She kept her gaze locked on his.

"I just, I don't normally end up alone with strange men. I was with Piz – my bonehead ex – since high school and I kind of felt safe and now he's gone, even though I'm glad he's gone, but…" she trailed off, not sure where she was going with her words.

Logan stood quickly and stepped away slightly, giving her some space. "Maybe I can walk you home? I'll stop a block away, so I don't see where you live. I'm just worried that you'll get hurt if you go out in that storm."

Veronica's mind began to hum. A need rose in her, so powerful that she was almost ready to abandon what she knew was the right thing to do, and go with the absolute very wrong thing.

"Maybe," she began, standing up and looking around. "I can sleep on that couch over there?"

She pointed to a lumpy gold velvet couch on the other side of the coffee shop, highlighted by the soft street lights through the window.

"If you have some blankets and a pillow?" she turned back to Logan, a small smile brushing her lips. "Maybe I would feel safe there for the night."

Logan nodded. "Yeah! Yes! Okay. I'll go upstairs and find some."

Turning and heading for the back of the shop, he paused in the doorway, flashing a wide toothy grin at her.

"And just think, tomorrow morning, you won't have to trudge through the snow for the best coffee in New York!"

As he disappeared upstairs, Veronica let out a deep breath, gazing around the coffee shop.

"Oh Veronica," she said to herself. "What have you gotten yourself into?"


	2. The Woman King

Veronica watched the snow fall like diamonds past the window of the coffee shop, each one refracting the lights from the street, making everything sparkle and dance against the stillness of the night.

What was she even doing here? Maybe she should have gone home – taken Logan up on his offer to walk with her. But then what? Her guard was down, for the first time in a long time, and it was both terrifying and exhilarating. There was this feeling, bubbling inside of her, a need to know more about Logan. A need so strong that she was willing to put aside her fears, just to get more of a glimpse at what this man was really like. She never felt this way about Piz. Hell, she had never felt this way about anyone.

Logan cleared his voice behind her and she snapped from her thoughts. She turned to see him carrying a tall pile of pillows and blankets.

"Wasn't sure how cold it would get so I brought a couple," he said and placed them at the end of the couch.

"Thank you," she replied. "The windows do make it chilly, but it looks so beautiful outside that I can't bring myself to close them."

"Just a minute," Logan said and he moved around the room, closing the blinds on the other side of the room, as well as across the door, before switching off a couple of light switches. The neon signs outside, as well as the lights towards the front of the café, turned off, allowing the light from outside to illuminate the space in a warm glow.

Veronica wrapped her arms around herself and smiled. "I love the snow. Not this much snow, necessarily, but, you know, generally speaking."

"I think it's a California ex-pat thing," Logan chuckled, leaning on the back of a high-backed chair. "Once you experience a true 'White Christmas' in New York, you can't go back to decorated palm trees."

Veronica let out a giggle as she moved towards the couch. Grabbing the pillows off the top of the pile, she tossed them to one end, before throwing a blanket down to sleep on top of that night. She finished her makeshift bed with the rest of the blankets.

"Voila!" She waved her hands over the area. "That would cost me at least $120 a night in some small New York boutique hotel."

"Well, I should let you crash," Logan said, taking a few steps away from the chair and stretching his arms over his head, his back arching as he yawned.

At some point, he had shed his apron, and his brown Henley rose slightly, flashing a few inches of his abs, along with the slightest line of hair trailing from his navel down past his belt buckle.

Veronica swallowed hard and adjusted her gaze back up to his face. "I think I may stay up and watch the snow. I really did have too much coffee today."

Logan nodded with a laugh. "Back-to-back all-day Americanos will do that to a person."

Toeing off her boots, she sat on the couch, near her pillows, gathering her legs up beside her on the cushions. "If you aren't too tired, maybe we can talk some more? I mean, I don't run into many people from Cali out here. Kind of makes me homesick."

"Yes! I mean, sure," he said with more than a hint of excitement to his voice. "But first, let me make you something to help with the Americano overdose."

Jogging behind the counter, Logan grabbed a jug of milk from the fridge. Pouring it into a metal measuring cup, he turned on the espresso machine and began frothing the liquid. A few seconds later, he poured it into two cups and shook some powdered chocolate over the top. Picking them up, he came back and placed one cup in front of Veronica, on the coffee table.

"Mrs. Navarro's cure-all special," he said, sliding into the chair across from her and kicking off his sneakers. "She made it for me every night when I first moved in here."

Veronica picked up her milk, cradling it in her hands. "Is she the owner? I've seen her and an older man in the mornings. And some blond dude."

"The 'blond dude' is my buddy Dick. He followed me out from L.A. after he graduated. He's lives in a frat house and goes to NYU as well," Logan chuckled and took a sip of his milk. "Mr. and Mrs. Navarro own the place. Their son was a pilot in the Navy. He died a couple of years before I showed up. He used to help them around here."

"Oh, that's terrible. To lose a child is tragic," she said.

"Yeah. I think Mrs. Navarro needed someone to mother," he replied quietly. "And I guess I needed someone who would take care of me too. My parents sort of sucked at that."

Veronica met his eyes. "I get it. My mom drank, and she tried to be a good mom, before she left me and my dad, that is."

Logan raised an eyebrow, his mouth twitched up into an ironic smile. "We are just determined to overshare with each other, aren't we?"

She bit her lip, curling on arm around herself, protectively. "I…I don't know why. Maybe it's kind of like that thing where you'll share intimate details of your life with a complete stranger on an airplane, but wouldn't tell the same stuff to a loved one."

"Because you don't care what I think," he added. "I have no emotional stake in what you say."

"True," she said, letting their words linger a moment as they both took long sips of their drinks.

"So to summarize," Logan began. "We're both motherless children, we both had traumatic childhoods. Anything else you want to share? Care to complain about your ex some more?"

Veronica pulled her palm down her face, groaning slightly. "God. Piz was such a goober. I'm sure if it wasn't for…" she paused, trying to decide how far she would take this conversation.

"I stayed with him because it was easy. Safe. I let him get away with shit because I didn't feel safe living alone in the city and I didn't want him to leave," she admitted, mainly to herself, for the first time. "But the truth is, I really didn't need him. I should have just faced my fears on my own instead of staying with someone I didn't really love."

Putting down the cup, Veronica pulled her knees up to her chin, wrapping her arms around her legs, her mind wandering to that dark place in her head, that held fast to the night she was raped. She would show them all how strong she could be. She would survive. While the men who did it walked free, with only 9-months in jail, she would show them by becoming a lawyer and making sure no one else would have to watch their rich-boy-rapists walk free on time-served.

"It was bad," Logan's voice cut through her thoughts. "Whatever scared you so much."

"Yeah," she said, turning to look out the window. "Real bad."

"The first year I was here," Logan said. "I had a fear that my dad would track me down and kill me. Every time that front door opened, I expected to see his face."

Veronica focused on Logan again, catching his eye. For a split second, it was like looking in a mirror. The deep imprinted fear that she saw in her own eyes each morning, was now in his. He knew her terror, in his own way. This knowledge made her bold.

"My dad, he lost his job because of me," she began hesitantly, her jaw clenching. "He was the county Sheriff. First on the scene when someone called an ambulance for me. He wouldn't let it rest until the guys who attacked me were behind bars. Their fathers were rich and they destroyed my dad – ran him out of office. All because their sons thought it would be 'fun' to drug and rape me at a party."

"Jesus," Logan murmured, closing his eyes and shaking his head.

"I'm sorry," Veronica said, hardening her emotions to keep them from spilling over any more than they already did. "I don't usually lead with that story, but I thought you may…understand…you know?"

"Yeah. I know," he said, making eye contact with her once more. "It's like you're walking around, trying to be a normal human being, but really, there's this whole other scarred and damaged person living just under your skin, that no one knows about but you."

"Yes," she gasped, bringing her hand to her chest. "That's exactly what it's like."

He pulled his hands in his sleeves again, leaning his elbows onto his knees, his body rocking slightly. "I've never met anyone who got that before."

"I tried to explain it to Piz, but all he said was I would get over it, eventually," she said, giving a small snort. "Like it was the flu, not rape."

"He really was a winner, wasn't he?" Logan chuckled. "I don't even know him and I don't like him."

Veronica let out a laugh and stretched her legs out across to the coffee table. "I'm in school and working all the time, and he would get all pouty and upset that I couldn't go to his band's gigs. Not because he wanted me there, but because he needed help with his gear."

Logan let out a deep laugh, covering his eyes. "Oh man! He couldn't carry his gear?"

"No! He didn't want to make a few trips to the van, so I would carry his guitars and he would carry his amp and peddles and stuff," she giggled, before letting out a sigh. "I guess it wasn't all bad. He was one of only three friends who stuck by me after everything went down. It was sort of inevitable that we would get together."

"Okay, I'll give him a few nice guy points for sticking by you," Logan said, stretching back in his chair, he propped his feet up on the coffee table just inches from Veronica's legs.

Noticing the proximity of their limbs, Veronica resisted the sudden urge to move her feet closer to him, instead crossing them at her ankles, and giving her woolly socks a wiggle.

"So what about your love life?" she asked, stretching her arms across the back of the couch. "A guy like you must have at least a few tales from the romantic trenches."

Logan's head dropped and his eyes darted to the side. "I…it's complicated…"

He's gay. If course, he was too pretty to be straight. He's gay and he's hooking up with that dude, Dick, Veronica thought.

"Look, I get it. If you don't want to share –"

"No, it's just…I'm a bit of a slut when it comes to women," he said, keeping his eyes down. "Commitment to one girl is not my strong suit."

"Oh," she replied, hearing the disappointment in her own voice.

"It's not…I'm not the one who cheats," he explained, lifting his eyes to meet hers. "I just kind of got my heart stomped on so I tend to stay away from commitment."

She had to know. "What happened?" she whispered, her eyes growing wide with interest.

Logan took a deep breath, placing his hands firmly on the arm rests of the chair. "My girlfriend in L.A., Lilly, was a year older than me. I found out, just before my mom died, that she was cheating on me with my dad. Mom died. I left. Then my dad and my ex-girlfriend got married when she turned 18."

Veronica's mouth dropped open. His dad must be the actor Aaron Echolls. She remembered reading about the scandal in People Magazine. It was rumored that his wife, Lynn Echolls, committed suicide because of his affair with the girl.

"You're Logan Echolls," she said quietly.

He chuckled, leaning his head back against the headrest. "Logan Evans, now. I take it you've heard the tabloid version of my heartbreak."

"Yeah," Veronica cringed. "My dad was a huge fan of Aaron Echolls' films. He was kind of devastated by the story."

"Join the club," Logan replied.

"I could see why you gave up on the idea of commitment," she said.

"Oh, I say that, but I don't know," he said, giving her a wry smile. "Maybe the right girl will come along and change my mind. Make me toss my hat into the ring again, so to speak."

The stillness from outside slipped into the room, blanketing everything in silence. For a moment, Veronica held his gaze as she tried to maintain her composure. Was he talking about her? Was she the 'right' girl?

"I hope so," she murmured.

"What?"

Veronica blushed deeply, realizing she had actually spoken out loud, the words she was thinking.

"I mean, I hope you find her. The 'right' girl." She quickly corrected.

Logan nodded, pulling his legs to the ground he stood, smiling softly at Veronica. "I should probably get some sleep. It's 2 a.m. and I have to wake up at 5:30 to start getting the café ready to open."

Veronica scrambled to her feet. "Yeah, of course. Thanks for the warm milk. And conversation."

"Anytime," he said, before walking over to the window and closing the blinds.

Turning in the darkness, he paused for a moment, as if he had something more to say.

Kiss him! Veronica's heart began screaming at her. But it was her brain that kept her feet rooted to their spot on the floor.

"Good night Logan," she said quietly.

"Good night Veronica," he replied before making his way out the door to the kitchen. She could hear his footsteps in the silence as he walked up stairs to his place.

Flopping down onto the couch, Veronica grasped her chest. Her heart pounded so hard she could feel her ribs vibrating. He was beautiful. He was funny. He was kind. He was damaged.

He was her.

Sliding under the mountain of blankets, she closed her eyes tightly. Every night, she went to bed with fear in her heart. Tonight, she was scared for a totally different reason.


	3. Jezebel

Veronica was emotionally hungover. The events of last night played over in her head as she lay curled up under the covers. Just hours before, she told a complete stranger about her rape. Someone who she kind of liked. Scratch that…someone who she definitely liked.

Letting out a small, angsty groan, she pulled the blankets over her head, hoping the couch would magically fly her home, or at the very least, transport her to Narnia.

Pressing her face into her pillow, she breathed deeply. Sandlewood. Musk. Vanilla. Sweat. _God, Logan must have given me his pillow_. Veronica fell asleep so hard, she hadn't noticed last night. Shifting her face to the side, she breathed again. Shit. He smelled good. This was bad.

 _Well, this is the closest you'll ever get to him; might as well enjoy it,_ she thought as she pressed her nose to the pillow again.

The actual rape was only the tip of the emotional iceberg. The idea of kissing him was one thing – she was pretty sure she could do that quite easily - but the fact that sex terrified her, would keep him away for good. By the way he called himself a 'slut' it meant he would probably want to have sex with her, at some point, if they dated. And she had enough problems trying to have sex with Piz without freaking out. What would she do with someone who was so obviously built for sex, like Logan was? The image of his abs flashed across her mind once more, making her flush with warmth.

Tossing the blankets off her head, she made a quick getaway plan: gather her things, trudge home through the snow, shower in the dark, then buy her coffee every day from now on at Starbucks on campus. Sure, she'd think about him, but wasn't it better to have lusted from afar – and not get hurt – than never to have lusted at all?

Rising, she grabbed her boots off the floor and tiptoed towards her laptop and phone, which were still plugged in at her table.

"Knock it off, Dick."

Logan's voice carried from the kitchen, along with the delicious smell of baking cookies. Changing direction, Veronica crept over to the counter to try and get a better listen to what was being said.

As she approached, she saw the shaggy blond barista who served her every morning, sitting on the counter in the kitchen. Logan was out of her sight range, but it was obvious he was back there.

A chill ran down her spine as she realized she was alone with two men now. _Not the same_ , she said to herself, trying to squelch her panic. _We aren't at a party. We aren't in a bedroom. It isn't happening again._ Pushing her brain to focus, she crouched behind the counter, her head just above so she could watch what was happening while she listened to their conversation.

"…and I can't believe '7:15 Double Americano' girl slept over and you didn't do her!" Dick said with a chuckle.

"I hate when you refer to customers by their orders," Logan said.

"You didn't when you screwed '6:45 large caramel latte, no foam' last year," Dick laughed. "Do you even remember her actual name?"

"The Navarros won't care if I fire your ass while they're gone, Dick. In fact, they may love it."

"Pfft. You'd be lost without me."

"Would I? Would I really?"

"Back to the topic of the hot girl on your couch…"

 _Hot?_ The last thing Veronica ever thought of herself as was 'hot'. Looking down at her wrinkled blouse and jeans, she was sure the only thing she could be was a hot-mess.

"Look, you need to let this go. I like her, alright. Like, really like her. A lot. And I don't want to screw this up. And I also don't want you to scare her off by you being….well…you!" Logan said.

 _He likes me! Oh shit, he likes me._ How could she feel elated and panicked at the same time?

"She gets me, Dick. Like no one else I've ever met. Can you just please, knock it off." Logan continued.

"At least she won't sleep with your dad," Dick chuckled.

"Fuck you."

There was a loud crash before something flew across the doorway and hit Dick in the face. He let out a deep growl of anger as the raw egg dripped down his chin.

"You fucking asshole!" Dick yelled.

Veronica covered her mouth to stifle her laugh as another egg whizzed past, hitting Dick in the chest.

Veronica heard Logan's deep, loud laugh echo through the café.

"No, you're the fucking asshole!" Logan yelled back. "Now, go upstairs and shower. You can't greet customers like that."

"I hate you," Dick said as he hopped off the counter before quickly disappearing up the staircase.

"Ditto!" Logan yelled.

The sound of Veronica's phone ringing made her jump. Scrambling from her spot towards the table, she snatched it up to answer.

"Hello?" she gasped.

"Sweetheart? Are you okay? I came home from a stake out and saw there was a blizzard in New York," Keith Mars said, his voice slightly panicked. "Did they turn the electricity back on yet?"

"I don't know, Dad. I stayed over –" she turned towards the kitchen door to see Logan leaning against the frame, brushing flour off his hands. Her eyes connected with his and he smiled. "I stayed over at a friend's place. No need to worry."

"Okay. Because when I cleared up the bill, they said it would be reconnected within a few hours," Keith explained, his voice calmer.

Veronica held Logan's gaze, barely registering what her father was saying. "Thanks Dad. I appreciate it."

"Well, I'll get my money back when I track Piz down and shake it out of him," Keith muttered.

Veronica let out a deep sigh, turning her back to Logan so she could concentrate on the call.

"While you scaring the snot out of him is a somewhat comforting thought, I really could care less about seeing Piz again. The past two weeks have been really good. Better than I could have imagined."

"I'm glad you're doing so well on your own," her dad murmured. "You know I worry about you."

Veronica closed her eyes to keep her tears at bay. "I gotta go Dad. Can I call you later?"

"Sure, honey. Take care."

"Thanks Dad. Get some sleep," she replied before disconnecting the call. Pulling the phone from the charger, she tucked it into the back pocket of her jeans.

Her pulse began to quicken, knowing Logan was in the room with her, but she was afraid to turn back around. Was it Lot's wife that turned to salt, when she looked back as the sinful city of Sodom burned? She remembered something vaguely like that from going to church with Grandma Reynolds. Turning to salt, at the sight of the temptation of Logan, seemed like it could actually happen.

Slowly, she closed her laptop and gathered the cords from the outlet. As she reached down to grab her backpack, she heard him cough a little, as if reminding her that he was still there.

"You should at least have a fresh cookie, or five, before you go," he said from behind her. "I doubt we'll have many customers so –"

Veronica dipped her head down, still avoiding his presenced, while loading everything in her backpack. "I don't know, I mean, I should get home."

"Do you want me to walk with you? It's still pretty bad out." Logan offered.

Veronica lifted her head towards the windows, but the blinds were still drawn. _This is ridiculous, just look at the man_ , she thought, before pivoting towards him.

"I thought I heard your co-worker this morning?" she said, focusing on his messy apron and not his sexy unkempt hair or his sparkling eyes. "How did he get here?"

"Dick's too stupid to realize that going for a walk outside when snow plows are operating may not be the best idea." Logan let out a husky laugh that made the hair on her arms dance. "He walked in the ruts made by some delivery truck and came in the back door. He said that there was a big blackout at NYU and classes were cancelled for the day, so he came in to help me bake before his shift."

"No classes? Score!" she said with a little laugh. "Wait a minute... _you_ bake?"

"Now, don't go forcing your gender roles on me," he stated, wagging his finger at her playfully. "Yes, I bake. That's why you've never seen me in the mornings. I'm usually up early with Mrs. Navarro, baking cookies, muffins, and scones for the day, in the kitchen. Mr. Navarro and Dick, as well as a couple of other staff, are the morning shift out front."

Veronica wrinkled her nose in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. If it makes you feel any better, I started coming here for the coffee and 'morning glory' muffins."

"Well, the recipe is Mrs. Navarro's but I usually make them," he replied, taking a few steps past the counter, closer to her. "In fact, there are some in the oven right now."

Veronica's stomach betrayed her, letting out a low rumble at the mention of food. Food would be good.

"Maybe I could stay and have one," she said with a smile, taking a step closer to him. "And a coffee?"

Logan quirked his eyebrow, a dazzling grin forming on his lips. "Whatever your heart desires. Double-Americano?"

Veronica glanced at the clock. It was 5:50 a.m. Did she really want to be '7:15 Double-Americano' anymore?

"How about just an espresso? With a shot of syrup? Maybe mix it up a bit today."

"Change can be good," he said, before turning towards the fancy coffee machines.

As he made her drink, Veronica walked over to watch. She breathed deeply at the smell of fresh ground espresso beans, before fixing her eyes on his sturdy hands as he went through the steps to make her coffee.

"I don't think I've ever had someone watch me do this so intently," he chuckled.

Veronica gave her head a small shake, taking her mind away from his hands. She blushed deeply and looked away.

"Sorry. I always watch people making my drinks," she replied. "Now."

She glanced up to see his smile vanish, his face growing serious. "Is that why you always came up to the counter for your coffee yesterday?"

Veronica nodded, feeling her chest constrict her words. She wanted to tell him how she snuck her own water bottles into restaurants, how she only ate in fast food joints where she could serve herself pop, and that she never drank when she went to the bar with friends, no matter how thirsty she was. But she couldn't get the words to come out.

"I throw up when I smell pears," he said quickly, filling the silence. "My dad forced me to eat an entire basket of them when I was a kid, because I misbehaved. When I couldn't eat any more, he started shoving them in my mouth. Went on a date last year, and the girl had pears in her salad. I had to leave."

Veronica's hand began to shake at her side and she shoved it into her pocket, hoping he didn't see.

"It's okay," Logan offered quietly. "I get it. You don't have to worry."

Carefully, he slid the small cup across the counter to her and she grasped it tightly, still not making eye contact.

"Thank you," she murmured, glancing down at her sad reflection in the dark coffee.

"Why don't you go sit down and I'll bring you a muffin when they're done." He suggested. "Then we'll make a plan to get you home safe."

Veronica forced a small smile to her lips before turning and heading back to her table. Setting down the coffee, she glanced up at the clock. Almost 6:00 a.m. They would be opening soon.

Crossing to the windows, she pulled open the Venetian blinds. A small blast of cold air released and she shivered. Giant plows where in the road, pushing around the snow, and on the sidewalks, business owners were out trying to shovel paths for customers that weren't there. Veronica opened all the blinds before flicking on the lights by the door.

"Welcome everyone," Logan called as he walked from the kitchen carrying a plate with a piping hot muffin.

"I think you're right. Business may be slow today," she commented and took the plate from his hand. She breathed deeply over the white fingers of heat coming from the muffin top and her stomach gurgled happily.

He unlocked the door and pushed it open a few inches, against the mound of snow. The wind whipped in a light dusting of flakes and Veronica squealed with delight. Logan let out a laugh and pulled the door closed.

"I know who needs a job…" he commented before marching back to the kitchen.

Sticking his head up the stairs, he hollered, "Dick! Get down here! You need to shovel the snow!"

A large banging came from above as feet stomped across the ceiling. They continued down the stairs until Dick appeared beside Logan, in a fresh shirt and washed hair.

"Why do I have to do that shit?" he said loudly.

"Because I'm the boss!" Logan answered, puffing his chest out slightly.

With a small giggle, Veronica walked over to place her muffin next to her coffee on the table. Sinking into the chair, she reached for her espresso and began drinking it slowly. Muttering and banging drifted from the kitchen and soon Dick appeared, bundled in a heavy parka, carrying a shovel over his shoulder.

"How's it going?" Dick nodded at her as he walked to the front door.

"Good," she replied with a smile.

Dick opened the door and the snow blew in again. With a grunt of frustration, he managed to push the door open enough to squeeze through before slamming it closed behind him. Logan appeared with a mop and began mopping up the water left on the ground.

"Once Dick finishes I can walk you home, or close to home, if you want," he said, keeping his eyes lowered on his work. "That way someone is here if we get a customer."

 _But I don't want this to end_ , she thought, her stomach full of butterflies.

"Maybe you can walk me _up_ to my apartment?" she asked, boldly. "Just in case, you know, it's been overtaken by mice or polar bears while I was gone."

The mop handle slipped from his hand and he juggled to catch it. "Really?"

"Yeah," she said, fighting against her natural instinct of flight. "Really."

The electronic sound of a beeper went off somewhere on Logan and he jumped, grabbing a kitchen timer from his apron pocket. He turned it off and smiled. "Last batch of cookies. I'll finished up in the kitchen. Then we can go?"

"Okay," Veronica replied, returning his smile.

He stood for a beat, bobbing his head in a nod that didn't seem to end, a goofy grin pulling at the corner of his mouth.

 _Oh my God, not only is he hot, he's freaking adorable_! Trying not to let him see the absolute glee that surged through her, Veronica focused her gaze back on her breakfast, picking up the muffin and breaking it in half. She heard him clear his throat before hurrying back to the kitchen.

 _You can do this_ , she said to herself. _You know he likes you, and you like him, just get him alone and tell him._

Alone. In the apartment.

"You can do this," she repeated quietly.

Against her better judgment. Against everything she learned in her self-defence classes. Against her brain, that was currently screaming at her not to do it.

But her heart just wouldn't let it be.

She needed to know what would happen, if she told him she liked him as well. Didn't she deserve to at least give him – and herself – a chance? If she ran away from someone she liked, because of what happened to her, wasn't she letting her rapists control her life? And she'd be damned if she lost any more of her life to those criminals than she already did.

Veronica set down her coffee cup, her eyes fixed towards the kitchen doorway. "You've got this, Veronica," she murmured, a small smirk tugging at her lip. "You've _totally_ got this."


	4. Trapeze Swinger

"All bundled up and ready to go?" Logan asked with a smile.

Veronica looked down at her woefully inadequate UGG Boots, then over to Logan's giant snow boots. Lifting her eyes to his, she tossed the hood of her winter jacket over her head.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Veronica muttered, pulling on her mittens.

They had hoped to leave sooner, but while waiting for Dick to shovel the snow, the two had fallen into conversation again – this time about university – over coffee and muffins, losing all track of time. With no one visiting the café, they talked uninterrupted for more than an hour, until Veronica realized it was almost 7:30 a.m. and she should be getting home.

Logan reached out his thick gloved hand. "At least let me carry your backpack for you. You'll have better balance out there without it."

With a sigh, Veronica slid her pack off her shoulder and handed it to Logan. "Thanks. These boots were fine when it was only lightly snowing yesterday morning."

"UGGs are just glorified slippers," he joked and adjusted the backpack on himself.

"True," Veronica replied, making her way to the door. With a deep inhale, she pushed the café door open, letting in a blast of snow as she did.

Stepping out onto the sidewalk, Veronica looked up and down the block. The businesses around Navarro's Café – the bodega, the dry cleaner, the flower shop – had all shoveled their part of the sidewalk, leaving the entire block clear. Veronica squinted against the light from the street lamps, illuminating the street in the early-morning darkness, to see that the blocks leading to her apartment had not been cleared.

Pointing her red fluffy mitten up the street, she turned to Logan. "I'm three blocks that way."

"Towards the warehouses?" he asked, stepping up next to her and adjusting his hood against the wind.

"Yeah. I'm in one of the renovated lofts. It's a hole in the wall, but the rent is cheap," she said, beginning to walk.

Gazing around at the light snow falling against the dark grey sky, Veronica exhaled, watching her breath turn white in the cold morning air. Everything was still, and the sound of their crunching steps echoed down the street. The plows had moved on, just as they were getting ready to go, and a few cars coasted slowly past the high windrows near the road.

She closed her eyes for a second, breathing the cold air in deeply, a feeling of peace washing over her. When was the last time she felt this way? She almost couldn't remember.

"Flying," she said out loud, a memory beginning to come into focus.

"What was that?" Logan asked as they paused to cross the street.

Glancing left and right for non-existent cars, they began to walk, maneuvering around the ruts in the road.

"I was just thinking," she said. "The last time I felt this peaceful was on the plane ride to New York."

"Freedom," Logan stated, stopping at the large snow drift in front of them.

Veronica stopped, inches away from him. "Freedom. A second chance. Running away from your problems can be a good thing."

Logan turned, his lips fixed in a tight line. He already had almost a foot on her height, but in his boots and giant parka, it was like standing next to Paul Bunyan.

"There's that blissed-out feeling you get when you know you've crossed the state line," he said, his breath hovering near Veronica. "And you realize they can't hurt you anymore."

Veronica licked her lips, her mouth opening slightly as her breathing went still. "Yeah," she whispered, their eyes locking. "Exactly like that."

Before her brain had a chance to stop her, she raised her mitten up and placed it on Logan's chest. Even with several layers of clothes between them, Veronica swore it felt like she was touching him skin-to-skin. His gloved hand covered hers and for a moment, they stayed like this, as the winter wind swirled around them.

"We should get going," Logan spoke softly, making no move to disturb their connection. "Before someone mistakes us for snowmen and plows us down."

Veronica dropped her hand to her side, her cheeks heating up against the cold air. "Yeah, we should," she replied.

Turning towards the deep snow once more, Logan groaned. "All this gentrification and no one could hire a guy to come and clean their front walk?"

The next two blocks were piled high with snow drifts of various sizes, outside the very expensive redeveloped warehouses. Since most of the city was moving slowly that morning, it didn't look like anyone had even attempted to clear the snow.

Logan heaved his right foot into the snowbank and sunk down all the way to his knee. He planted the other foot and the same thing happened. Pivoting his torso, he glanced at Veronica from behind his big hood.

"I'll walk first and make a path. You follow in my footsteps. Okay?"

Veronica frowned at the snow. If it was up to his knees then the snow would surely swallow her whole.

"Okay," she said with a sigh. "Lead the way."

Taking another step, Logan reached behind him and offered his hand. She grabbed on and flung her foot into the hole he created. A squeal escaped her lips as she sunk into his boot print, all the way up to her thighs. He chuckled and let go of her hand to continue his path. Securing herself on one leg, she flung her other leg into the next hole.

 _Like walking on a trapeze,_ she thought. _Just one foot in front of the other and hope you don't fall._

Traversing the hills, Veronica continued to glance at Logan as he led them through the snow. _How do I feel so safe, so cared for, by someone I just met?_ She thought. _Is this what it's like, when you meet the person you are meant to be with? Or am I imagining it all?_

Slowly, the two made it through the first block of snow with no difficulties. On the second block of high snow, they realized it was much deeper than the last. Their pace began to crawl as they trudged through.

Every step, Logan would turn to check on her progress, his brow wrinkled with concern. She would give him a smile and he would continue to the next step.

 _We're almost home,_ Veronica mused in her head. _Now what are you going to do with him? Invite him in? Tell him how you feel? Shake hands and thank him for everything before retreating again? Well, that one had possibilities..._

Lost in her thought, she pulled her leg out of the path and screamed, realizing her boot was left behind in the deep snow. Logan whipped around to see her standing like a flamingo on one leg, trying desperately not to fall over.

"Oh my God!" she giggled as she spread her arms to balance.

Stomping back to her, a wide grin appeared on Logan's face. "I told you those boots were glorified slippers!"

The laughter that began bubbling up inside of her caused Veronica to teeter. Just as Logan grabbed her hand, she collapsed into the snow, her one leg still buried in a step. Moving sharply to try and catch her, Logan twisted and rolled, landing on his side, right beside her.

For a split second, they looked at each other in horror. Then, a guffaw escaped Logan, causing Veronica's giggles to return. The two lay on the ground, laughing hysterically as Veronica attempted to keep her now unprotected foot raised up in the air and out of the snow. Logan reached his long arm out to grab her ankle to help her.

"I must save the royal foot!" he announced dramatically, a hint of a terrible British accent in his voice. "Don't let the fair maiden's foot touch the snow!"

The complete absurdity of his proclamation caused a very un-ladylike snort-laugh to escaping from Veronica. There was a pause as the two made eye contact.

"I'm sorry, m'lady. Improv is not my strong suit," he declared, in what now sounded like a Scottish accent. "Neither are accents."

Veronica covered her face with her mittens, as tears ran down her cheeks and her stomach began hurt, from laughing so hard. Peeking from behind her hands, the sight of Logan kneeling, holding her ankle up in the air, just added to her giggling fit.

Logan's own laughter shook down her leg, his whole body vibrating with hysterics. As their giddiness subsided, he placed her foot on top of her bent knee and crawled to the hole where her boot disappeared.

Plunging his arm down into the snow, he pulled out her boots with an exuberant "Ta da!"

Shuffling back to her, he shook the snow off the boot and slipped it back on her foot.

"I believe this is yours, Princess."

She dropped her leg and sat upright, landing close to Logan's face. "My hero." She teased, planting a quick kiss on his cheek.

Her eyes went wide as she realized what she had done. _What is wrong with you? You just met him and now you're kissing him?_ She chastised herself in her head, her eyes dropping away from him.

"Hey," he said quietly. "If you didn't mean it I –"

"No!" she exclaimed, glancing back up at him. "I did mean it." Shuffling her mitten across the ground, she placed it over his gloved hand. "Because I like you. Lots."

"Lots?" Logan replied, a big toothy grin spreading across his cold red face.

"Yeah," Veronica said, wrinkling her nose. "Lots."

"Good," he said, bringing his face closer to hers. "Because I like you too. Lots and lots."

A deep ache appeared in her belly setting off a wave of tingles through her body. She remembered this feeling from when she was a teenager. Desire. Back in the day, secretly flipping through her mom's Cosmo magazines with her best friend, Mac, looking for the pictures of half-naked boys. A small gasp escaped her lips in the form of a white cloud as she realized this was one emotion she had never felt with a "real" man. Until now.

"We should keep going," Logan said, licking his blue lips. "I think my butt has actually frozen off while sitting here."

Veronica snapped from her thoughts, her eyes trailing down his snow-covered form. Taking inventory of herself, she realized that the snow she was sitting in had in fact, soaked all the way through her clothes and she shivered against the chill.

"Mine too," she replied, starting to haul herself up from the snow. "Only a half-block more to go."

Logan hoisted himself up easily and offered his hand to her again. She took it with a smile and adjusted her feet in the snow so she was stable again.

"Then, maybe we can talk about where we go from here?" he asked.

Veronica nodded. "Yes. You should come upstairs so we can talk."

Raising her mitten to his mouth, Logan kissed the back of it and smiled. "Okay then."

Releasing her hand, Logan began making deep tracks through the snow towards her building, at a little quicker pace than before.

Veronica followed behind, making sure she didn't get her foot caught in the snow once more. The quiet street was beginning to show signs of life as people came out of the buildings to investigate the roads. Outside of her apartment, the caretaker was shoveling the sidewalk and he gave her a smile as she and Logan crawled off of the snow pile to walk on the freshly shoveled walk.

They both paused on the stoop to brush the excess snow off their pants and jackets, so they didn't leave a trail of water all the way up the steps. Veronica nervously fished her keys out of her pocket, almost dropping them as they entered the building. Climbing the three flights of stairs, butterflies began to dance in her stomach as they walked down the long hallway to her apartment. She paused at her door and let out a long, cleansing breath.

Logan stopped a few feet away and took off the backpack. "We can talk out here, if you want," he offered, holding out her backpack to her.

Taking her backpack from him, Veronica flung it over one shoulder. This was it. _It's now or never_ , she thought.

"Come on in," she said, turning her attention to unlocking the door, her hand shaking ever so slightly.

A shy smile appeared on her lips, as she turned to Logan. "Piz left some clothes behind. Sweats and stuff. If you want, you can change into something dry," she said, glancing between the inside of her apartment and the cute guy in her hallway.

"Maybe we can sit and talk a bit more? That is, if you don't have to go back to the café right away."

"Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly. "If you're not comfortable –"

"I'm positive," she stated, reaching inside the apartment to turn on the lights. When electricity surged through the dwelling, she let out a small sigh of relief.

Entering the small loft, she kicked off her boots on the rug and walked a few steps to a round bistro table, in the world's tiniest kitchen, and put her backpack down. Logan entered the room, closing the door behind him, and stopped to take in his surrounding. To the left of him, a few steps, was her unmade bed – an unfurled futon couch – and directly beside the door was a tall chest of drawers.

"I know, it's not much," she said, pulling off her jacket and dropping it on the chair. "But there's a small bedroom over there," she added, gesturing towards a door by the fridge. "And a bathroom with an actual tub. Although the bedroom was used to store Piz's instruments and gear, and my tiny desk is in there too."

Logan nodded and began peeling off his damp jacket, while shuffling out of his boots. "It's nice. I like the windows," he commented, nodding to one side of the room.

A tall bank of windows, partially covered by cheap bamboo blinds, reached up to the high ceiling, where a cracked skylight appeared.

Veronica stared up and smiled. "Yeah. I freeze at night, in the winter, but those windows are why I picked this place. They cast such a beautiful light. And I love to lay in be and watch the summer rainstorms."

For a moment she stood, gazing at the skylight covered with snow. A brief fantasy of Logan laying next to her while they watched the snow falling gently, through the windows, flashed across her mind. A shiver ran through her, and she remembered that she was still soaked to the skin.

Walking quickly to the dresser, she opened the top drawer and pulled out a pair of men's sweats and a t-shirt. Holding them out for Logan, she smiled. "Here. I don't know if they'll fit, but at least you won't turn into a popsicle on the walk home."

Logan took them and smiled. "Thanks. I think I'm starting to lose feeling in my legs."

Veronica bit her lip and glanced down at his sopping wet jeans. They were clinging to his legs and her eyes skimmed over every curve and bulge that showed through. Averting her eyes, she gestured towards the door on the other side of the room.

"If you want, you can change in the bathroom," she said. "I should throw something dry on too."

This time, she noticed Logan's eyes cast down the curves of her body, before they trailed back up again.

"Okay," he murmured. "I'll be back."

Taking a step back, he turned and dropped his coat on hers before disappearing into the bathroom. Veronica let out a deep sigh and dug out a pair of yoga pants and a warm sweater to change into. Quickly pulling off her shirt, she threw the big, wooly sweater over her head. It dropped down her thighs and she felt immediately warmed by the cozy wool. She peeled off her wet pants and underwear, opening her lingerie drawer and peering inside. All cotton briefs; not a "sexy" pair in the bunch. Grabbing a pair of black boy-cut panties, she pulled them on under her sweater.

 _Logan is probably used to girls with frilly silk underthings_ , she thought. _If this gets serious, I may have to visit a Victoria's Secret at some point._

The click of a key in the doorknob made her jump back, her heart racing as she watched the door open.

A tall, stocky man with shaggy brown hair, and a soul-patch goatee, entered the room. Closing the door quickly, he smiled at her.

"Hey baby! I'm back!" Piz said happily, opening his arms to her.

Veronica's mouth dropped open. "What? What are you doing here?"

"I was thinking about it and I felt really horrible about things." Piz began taking off his jacket, tossing it on a hook by the door. "And I know you need me, so I came back."

Veronica glanced between the bathroom door and Piz. "You left two weeks ago. I haven't heard from you since. What the hell are you doing here now?"

"Listen, Vee, I just realized that I shouldn't have left you alone like that," he replied. "You must have been terrified."

Veronica took a sharp breath. The first night, after she found the note saying he was leaving, she barricaded the apartment door and slept with all the lights on. The second night, she slept in the dark, under the glow from the skylight. By the third night, she had thrown his pillow on the ground and spread her body out over the entire futon.

"If you were so concerned about my wellbeing, then why did you leave in the first place?" she responded, crossing her arms over her chest. She realized her pants were still in her hands and she glanced down at her cold, bare legs, self-consciously.

Piz took a step closer to her and she stepped back until her calf was pressed against the futon frame. Once again, she managed to find herself alone with two men, her anxiety beginning to catch in her chest.

"I needed some space. Some time to think. You know, living with your problem isn't always easy," Piz replied. "But I realized that you're worth it."

Her anxiety was pushed aside by an anger that charged it's way up through the her body and climbed out of her mouth.

"I'm not easy to live with?" she spat, her voice filled with venom. "I supported your unemployed ass! I killed myself working and going to school so you could 'focus on your music'."

"Hey, I do my part around –"

"Get out!" she demanded, pointing towards the door. "I don't need you. In fact, I'm happy you left! Now I can get on with my life without the past holding me back!"

"Veronica, you don't know what you're saying. You know you need me," Piz said, reaching out to try and touch her shoulder. "You know I keep you safe in this city."

She smacked his hand away with her arm, her hands balling into fists as self-defense moves scrolled through her head. _Do I break his nose? Or just kick him in the balls?_

"Oh, I think she's managing pretty good without you, Pez." Logan's husky voice floated from behind Veronica.

She glanced over her shoulder and did a double take, her jaw dropping open. Logan stood, leaning in her bathroom doorway, wearing nothing but the sweats she gave him, slung low on his hips. Her eyes fell to the deep indentations of skin outlining his hip bones. This time, she followed the little trail of hair upwards, from the top of the rolled sweats, to his navel, then up his muscular chest where it spread finely across his pecs.

"Who the hell are you?" Piz croaked, his voice raising in an odd high pitch.

"Logan Evans," he replied, pulling the t-shirt Veronica gave him over his head and walking closer to them, a twisted smirk pulling on his lips. "Nice to meet you."

Stopping inches from Veronica he smiled down at her. "You want me to get rid of him for you, Princess?"

Veronica had lost her ability to speak. Once again, she became keenly aware that she was only in her underwear and a sweater. Taking a hard swallow of saliva, she pulled her eyes off of Logan and glanced back at Piz.

"No. I think Piz knows he needs to go," she said, unable to keep a big grin from forming across her face. "You can send me the money for the electric bill once you get it together. M'kay?"

Piz stood, dumbfounded, his eyes bouncing between Veronica and Logan. "Yeah. I'll do that," he muttered. Quietly, he grabbed his jacket and began sliding on his boots, still keeping his eyes on them.

Even though he wasn't touching her, Veronica could feel the heat radiating between her and Logan from inches away. Watching Piz get dressed, she found herself hoping that Logan would put his hands on her somewhere. Her shoulders. Her hips. Pretty much anywhere would do.

Reaching into his pocket, Piz produced his keys. Shaking them at Veronica, he dropped them on top of the dresser. "See you around, then," he said before turning to open the door.

"By Pez!" Logan sung out from behind Veronica. She bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"It's Piz!" he called from the hallway as the door closed in his face.

Veronica let out a long breath, closing her eyes in silent prayer. _Goodbye Piz. Goodbye Neptune. Goodbye past._

"I'm sorry," Logan said, softly. "The shirtless thing was a bit over the top. My natural instinct is to go for the over-dramatic. Which is why I went into acting."

Spinning around to face Logan, she smiled warmly. "It was just the right amount of dramatic."

"Okay," he said with a chuckle, stepping away from her slightly. "I didn't want to creep you out. But I also thought he was getting a little…aggressive. And punching him would have been really over the top."

Veronica shivered, clutching her pants tightly. Was it being half naked with Logan that made her shiver, or was it the cold?

"I…I should finish getting dressed," she stammered.

With a nod, Logan retreated a few steps to the kitchen area, waving his hands towards the bathroom door. "All my wet clothes are hanging over the curtain rod. Thanks for the sweats – I feel much warmer."

Veronica's eyes traveled over his body again. This time she noticed his lack of underwear and a full body blush ran over her skin.

"I'll get dressed, and then maybe we can warm up with some tea?" She offered, looking down at her feet, trying to hide her embarrassment. "Maybe talk a little more about how much we like each other. And what we should do about it?"

Logan's eyes cast downward and he reached up to scratch the back of his neck. "Yeah. I'd like that."

"Good," she replied and shuffled into the bathroom. She leaned against the closed door, covering her mouth with her hands. A little squeal of excitement escaped as she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, unable to contain her happiness.

 _Alright, Veronica_ , she said to herself, as she took a deep, cleansing breath. _Now what?_


	5. Freedom Hangs Like Heaven

Veronica gazed in the mirror, analyzing the details of her face. In the last 24 hours, she had hardly slept, hadn't showered, consumed too much coffee, and…oh yeah…fallen hard for a hot guy she barely knew.

Splashing another round of cold water on her face, she pulled the rough cloth over her skin, hoping to erase the purple bags under her eyes. _Nope. Still there,_ she thought and let out a sigh. Drawing her wet hands through her hair, she pulled it back into a tight ponytail.

"Well, you've hidden in here long enough," she whispered to her reflection, her stomach doing a little nervous flip.

Opening the door carefully, Veronica peeked out, half expecting to find that Logan had fled the apartment, while she was taking her time in the bathroom. Instead, she found him sitting on a kitchen chair, his arms crossed on the table, his head resting on top while he snored softly.

"He's asleep," she said out loud, dumbfounded by the discovery. Stepping closer, Veronica reached her hand out to wake him, but thinking twice, she retreated, leaving Logan to slumber peacefully on his arms.

She stood for a moment, taking in his form. His hair stuck out in every direction, from being inside his hat as they walked outside, and his face was still tinged pink from the cold. The t-shirt she gave him was slightly too short and it rode up his torso, showing off the bones of his spine. Following them down towards his hips, she focused on the rounding skin of his buttocks that disappeared under the sweatpants. She allowed her mind to wander, briefly imagining what else was under the thin fabric, before the embarrassment of the image made her cheeks grow red.

Tiptoeing around the table, she took the kettle off the small stove and filled it with water, placed it back on the burner and turned on the heat. Trying to be as quiet as possible, she opened her cupboard to find the tea. Seeing it way up on the top shelf, she groaned. _Stupid tall Piz putting things out of reach._

Grabbing the broom hanging on the side of the fridge, Veronica swung the handle up into the air, maneuvering it into the cupboard. Clipping the side of the metal tin of tea, she nudged the package little by little until it fell from it's shelf, opening in mid-air, and raining down on Veronica. She let out a little scream as the loose tea leaves scattered.

"What?" Logan gasped, waking from his nap.

Veronica turned with the broom in her hand, clipping the cupboard door and slamming it loudly against the other doors. Logan stumbled from his chair, his eyes wide in shock, his hands up defensively. "What the hell – ?"

Glancing up at the broom handle waving above her head, Veronica dropped it to the floor. "No! I'm not attacking you!" she exclaimed. "I was just trying to get some tea from the top shelf!"

Logan glanced between her and the tea that was now strewn across the kitchen, a smirk beginning to appear on his lips.

"Mission accomplished," he teased.

Veronica bit her lip and looked around, inhaling the scent of peppermint that was in the air. "At least it smells nice in here," she said with a shrug.

Logan let out a low chuckle and held out his palm to her. "Give me the broom. I'll give you an hand cleaning up."

"Thanks," she replied, an embarrassed blush crossing her cheeks. "Maybe you can reach another tin of tea? It's a little high up for me to get."

"Hence the broom?" he said, coming over to take it from her hand. Wrapping his fingers around the handle, he inadvertently brushed her hand, sending a rush of pleasure through her body. She held the broom a split second longer than she should, as their eyes connected.

"Top shelf," she said, finally releasing her grip. "Any tin will do."

Logan stepped closer, keeping his eyes connected to hers. Without looking up, he reached his long arm to the top shelf, arbitrarily grabbing a tin. Pulling it down, he looked at the label and grinned.

"Passion," he remarked with a chuckle, turning to show her the label to the TAZO brand container.

For a moment, Veronica was at a loss for words. _The tea is trying to tell me something,_ she thought wildly.

"Fuck it," she muttered, stepping up to Logan.

Reaching up on her tiptoes, her lips pressed against his, only for a second, before she dropped back down. His eyes were wide, in shock once more, and in his hands he still held the broom and the tea.

Veronica stood stone still, her heart beating so hard it echoed in her ears. Logan's face began to relax as a wide grin pulled at his lips.

"Again," he responded, licking his lips in anticipation.

Rising once more, Veronica brushed her lips gently across his, once, then twice, before catching his lips with hers completely, her fingers weaving through his hair to pull him close to her.

The tea tin and broom hit the floor with a sharp bang, as Logan wrapped his arms around her waist, gently guiding her closer to him.

Veronica's entire body surrendered to the delicious tingling that ran through her, as her lips played with his; brushing, nipping, exploring.

 _This is what it's supposed to feel like._

Emotion began to bubble in her chest as she acknowledged the harsh truth that she had given up ever finding someone who made her feel this way; someone who she wanted in every way, with every fibre of her being.

The kettle's shrill whistle broke through her thoughts. Pulling away from Logan slightly, she opened her eyes to find him smiling down at her, his eyes twinkling.

Dropping her head, Veronica stepped out of her arms, moving towards the stove to silence the kettle. Once the sound stopped, she paused, her back towards Logan, trying to return her breathing back to normal. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him leaning against the kitchen counter, his head lowered, a small smile now on his lips.

He glanced up, his smile growing larger, and held his hand out to her. Veronica placed her hand in his and he eased her over into his arms, wrapping her gently against her body. Her hands slipped around Logan's waist as she anchored herself to him. When he kissed her forehead tenderly, she wished for the ability to stay this way forever.

"This is insane," he murmured, resting his cheek gently on her head. "I stayed up last night, trying to tell myself that what I was feeling for you was crazy. That it couldn't be real."

"You didn't sleep last night?" she asked, concern in her voice.

"No. I tried," Logan said. "But you were on 'repeat one' in my brain."

Veronica giggled and he gave her a soft squeeze.

"All I know," he continued, taking a deep breath "Is that whatever this is, I want it to go on for a long time."

"You do?" she asked, letting her cheek rest against his chest.

"Yeah. I do," Logan said. "So, if it's okay with you, can we maybe take things slow?"

A little wave of relief washed over Veronica. "You mean slow, as in – ?"

"As in not jump into bed together right away," he said quietly. "I've been doing that for a while now, and frankly, I'm kind of sick of it."

"You are?" she said, incredulously. "Really? You're not just saying that because of…well…me?"

Logan's fingers began trailing up and down her spine, causing her to shiver with delight.

"I just don't want this to be about sex," he said. "I want to get to know you. Really know you. I want to spend time wooing you. Wining and dining you; taking you to the top of the Empire State Building, Hansom Cab rides through Central Park, skating at Rockefeller Plaza, sort of stuff."

His fingers strayed across her shoulders, up her neck, and finally rested delicately on her cheek. Veronica glanced up at him, her breath hitching as his eyes met hers.

"And then, when we're both ready," he continued quietly. "I want to make love to you all night."

His words ignited a fire inside of Veronica, so powerful it threatened to overtake her. Passion. The fear was gone, burned away by this new feeling.

 _I'm not broken_ , the thought came from deep inside her brain. _I'm not broken_.

Before she could stop them, tears sprang to her eyes. She dropped her head, trying to hide them, but Logan must have seen, because his thumb swept under one eye to wipe them away.

"Where did you come from?" she whispered through her emotions.

"The same place you did," he replied, kissing one of her tears from her skin.

And there, in her tiny apartment, Veronica let Logan hold her, for a little while longer.


	6. Naked as we Came

_**\- One Year Later -**_

Mrs. Navarro hummed softly as she mopped the café. Veronica continued to wipe down the tables, running through lists of legal terms she had spent the evening memorizing. Her books still lay across her table, and she mused that she was being very inconsiderate to herself by leaving them there.

"It's snowing again," Mrs. Navarro proclaimed, clasping her hands together near her heart.

Veronica turned towards the windows to see the tiny crystals falling. Mrs. Navarro shut off the lights and the room glowed warm from the street lamps outside.

Veronica crossed the café to stand next to the older woman, breathing in a sense of calm. _Just like the night Logan and I met,_ she thought.

"My boy, Eli, he loved the snow," she said, touching her forehead, chest, and shoulders in the sign of a cross.

"It's so peaceful," Veronica replied, letting out a sigh of contentment.

Mrs. Navarro reached out, taking Veronica's hand in hers, and kissed it before holding it to her chest. "When Logan came to me, I thought that God was giving me a second chance with a son. Little did I know I would get a daughter in the bargain."

Veronica blushed deeply at the woman's words. Indeed, when Logan introduced them, Mr. and Mrs. Navarro immediately welcomed Veronica with open arms. And so, as her and Logan's relationship deepened, Veronica found herself spending more and more time at the café – studying, sharing dinner, or just sitting and talking – and less and less at her own apartment as they wove her into the fabric of their family. Mrs. Navarro was the mother she didn't realize she still needed.

"After Eli died, I thought I would never love anyone again," she continued. "I was afraid. I was afraid to love my husband. I was afraid to love myself. I was afraid to love my life. But then, this boy came to me, so much in need of a mother, and I realized, I had spent too much time, living my life in fear, you know?"

"I know," Veronica replied quietly.

Over the past year, Veronica tried to put her fears aside, for herself as well as Logan, but each time they tried to move forward, anxiety gripped her heart. When they began dating, she started having irrational nightmares, that he would die before they consummated their relationship. Her panic attacks would surface whenever his body lay on top of hers, making-out, fully clothed, on her futon. Then, several months ago, she began to fear that he would leave her, for someone who could provide him with sex, without the complications.

The fact that he was so kind and patient did nothing to alleviate her fears. He promised her he wouldn't do anything that would put his life in danger, calling her every night, no matter what time he got home. He sat and rubbed her back, during her panic attacks, telling her that they would pass. And the way he reassured her every day with his words, that he didn't want or need sex to be happy with her; that she, and she alone, was enough.

"So many years, lost to fear," Mrs. Navarro continued. "When what I really needed to do was just let go and love. And be loved in return."

She dropped Veronica's hand and reached up to touch her face gently. "Don't lose anymore of your life to fear, my darling."

Emotion gripped Veronica's heart, her breath catching in her chest. "I don't know how."

"You know," Mrs. Navarro replied. "In your heart, you are a brave, strong girl. Let that girl out. Just let go. He will catch you."

Veronica nodded and Mrs. Navarro dropped her hand to her side. With a smile, she quietly retreated back to the kitchen.

Staring out the windows, Veronica watched the snow fall, letting the stillness calm her again. One year with Logan had flown by in a heartbeat. _What would the next year be like? Or the next?_ Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to imagine their future, for the first time. She thought of him, first thing in the morning, showering in her bathroom. Making him breakfast, standing in nothing but his t-shirt. Waking her gently, when he came home from a late performance.

Opening her eyes, she smiled. Maybe they would buy an apartment. Go on vacation together. Her hands pressed against her stomach and she caught her reflection. Maybe they would get married. Get a dog. Have a baby?

For the first time, her future came into focus, so vivid and strong, it was like a movie playing in front of her eyes. Her life with Logan. Forever.

Logan walked into her reflection, stopping behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist, his hands meeting hers. He kissed the nape of her neck and she relaxed into his arms.

"I'm done in the kitchen," he murmured near her ear. "Are you ready for me to walk you home?"

 _Just let go._

"Yes," she replied. "But can you bring something with you?"

"Cookies?" he teased, kissing the side of her head.

"Condoms," she whispered. "And maybe your toothbrush."

Veronica caught his reflection, his mouth open slightly in shock, his eyes wide.

"Are…are you sure?" he stammered.

She bit her lip, spinning in his arms to face him. His brow wrinkled in concern.

"Yes. I'm sure," she replied, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. "I seem to remember a promise to make love to me all night. I figured it was time to make good on that promise."

Kissing him softly, her body stretched up along his. She released him and he grinned at her, wide and wild.

"Okay then," he said, stepping back towards the kitchen. "Give me a few minutes to get stuff together. Then we'll go home. Together."

Veronica giggled, placing her hands on her hips. "I'll be waiting."

As he disappeared into the back and up the stairs, Veronica rushed to her table and began shoving her books back into her bag. Suddenly, she couldn't wait to get home. She quickly wiped the table clean and tossed the rag in the sink behind the counter, before throwing on her jacket.

Logan's swift footsteps echoes from the back and he raced into the room, shoving his arms into his jacket as he moved, juggling his backpack from hand to hand. She bit her lip to hold back her giddy smile as he tried to pull himself together.

"Are you ready?" he asked, throwing his hood over his head.

Veronica walked up to him, her thick winter boots stomping across the floor, and kissed him quickly on the lips.

"Absolutely," she replied with a grin.

Logan held the cafe door open for her, closing it and locking it behind them. Turning back, he held out his arm and she looped her own through his, before they set off towards her building. They walked in silence together, their steps crunching through the snow a little swifter than normal, making the trip to her front door in record time. Veronica's heart pounded in her chest as she fumbled with the keys.

Opening the front door, she arched her eyebrow at him, a sly grin on her face. "Race you upstairs." She teased.

"Ready-set-go!" Logan announced and darted towards the stairs. Veronica let out a squeal of delight and the two scrambled up the three flights, laughing all the way to her apartment.

Pausing at the door, Veronica's chest heaved from the exertion. Logan leaned against the wall, his eyes twinkling happily. Reaching out, he lovingly brushed her cheek.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked quietly, catching his breath.

"Yes, I'm sure," she replied.

Stepping closer, he lowered his head towards hers. "If there is anything you are uncomfortable with, you tell me 'no', or tell me to stop, and I will. At any time."

"I will," Veronica replied before turning her attention back to unlocking the door.

The click of the lock was like a shotgun at the starting block for the two. The door barely closed behind them and Veronica was pressed against Logan, pulling off his parka as she kissed him, passionately. His hands moved between them to undo her jacket and the two dropped their coats and backpacks on the floor with a thud. Releasing each other from their kiss, they struggled to pull off their snow boots and heavy socks, laughing at the ridiculousness of their strip tease.

Pulling off her sweater, Veronica began backing up towards the bedroom, licking her lips in anticipation. The apartment was still dark, and the lights from outside cast Logan's frame in a soft glow. The sight of her in her bra and jeans made his eyes darken and he cast off his shirt as he strutted towards her.

Connecting with the wall next to the bedroom door, Veronica grabbed on to the moulding around the door frame as Logan descended on her, catching her neck with his lips and sucking her skin deeply. A moan escaped from her chest as he played with the sensitive skin. Kissing his way up her neck to her ear, he stopped to nibble her lobe, and Veronica was sure she was going to melt in his arms.

"Bedroom?" she gasped.

"No," he whispered. "I have a better plan."

His lips brushed across hers and she opened her mouth to catch them. This time, his lips lingered, his tongue searching for hers. Digging her nails into his bare back, he released a groan of pain and pleasure into her mouth.

A hunger rose in her that she had never experienced. It was as if she wanted to devour him, consume him, become a part of him.

 _More_ , she thought. _I need more. I need it all._

He released her mouth once again and began trialing kisses down her cheek, her neck, her sternum. Dropping to his knees, he gazed up at her, his face softening and a small smile appearing on his lips. His hands travelled up her spine, his fingers wandering under her bra, releasing the closure, and sending the garment falling down her arms. She let it drop to the floor, her hands coming up to cover her breasts.

"God, you're so beautiful," he murmured, causing her to blush. Offering his hands to her, she set aside her modesty, dropping her hands to his.

Softly, he kissed the back of each hand before releasing them. Leaning closer to her body, his kisses began circling her breast before catching one of her nipples with his mouth. Veronica's fingers threaded through his hair and a deep moan of pleasure released as he began gently sucking the sensitive skin. Kissing his way to her other breast, he lavished it with the same attention as she began to rock against him.

Her body started to vibrate and hum as every nerve bundle called out for more of the wonderful sensations he was providing.

Logan's kisses continued down her stomach, past her navel, to the edge of her jeans. Carefully, he unbucked her belt before slipping his fingers past the waistband to slowly open the zipper. The act of undressing her made Veronica's legs begin to twitch in anticipation.

She closed her eyes as he lowered her pants down to her ankles, leaving only the thin fabric of her underwear between them. When she felt his lips press against her gently, she gasped in shock and opened her eyes. Gazing down, she watched as he slowly pulled her panties down her legs. He sat for a second, transfixed by her nakedness, before planting another kiss on top of her wiry blond patch of hair.

"What are you doing?" she whispered, her voice ragged and strained.

"What do you mean?" he asked, looking up at her, his eyes narrowing in confusion.

"Down there," she said. "What are you doing?"

"Do you want me to stop?" he asked.

"No," she stated. "I was just...curious."

The look of confusion vanished and a small smirk pulled across his lips.

"Piz never did this, did he?" he remarked back up at her.

She hesitated for a moment, considering what he could mean. "No. He didn't."

"Well then," Logan said with a small chuckle. "We're both in for a treat."

A shiver ran through Veronica at his words. Before she had time to process what may happen, his lips were on her again, kissing her in the most intimate way possible. A deep gasp escaped Veronica as she felt his fingers begin to open her to him. Running his hand down the back of her thigh, he hitched her leg over his shoulder, and she grabbed onto the wall for balance.

A soft mewling sprang to come from the back of her throat, as waves of pleasure ran through her. Closing her eyes, she surrendered to this magnificent feeling, her back arching against him, seeking further gratification. He responded by changing his position, giving her the relief she sought.

For a moment, everything went blank, in a flash of white light, settling into a calm, the likes of which her brain and body had never experienced. Every muscle in her contracted then released and she felt herself begin to fall.

"I've got you," Logan reassured her as his hands anchored her to the wall. He slipped out from under her, keeping her body securely upright.

When the pulsing subsided, her eyes fluttered open, her body spent. Gently, he gathered her up into his arms, lovingly kissing her cheek, her nose, her forehead. Wrapping her arms around his neck, her head slumped against his chest.

 _So that's what an orgasm feels like,_ she thought as he moved them through the room.

Stopping near the edge of her soft green couch, he nuzzled her ear. "Do you want to keep going?"

Brushing her lips over his, she let out a small sigh. "Yes."

His response was to lower her to the couch, setting her down gently before taking his place, sitting near her feet.

"Here's what we'll do," he said softly, his hand running up and down the length of her naked leg. "We can just hang out here, making out for a while. Then, when you're ready and comfortable, you can ease yourself onto me. You set the pace, okay?"

Her blood rushed hot through her veins again at the thought of being in charge. "Okay." She nodded, her brain filling with confidence.

Bending slightly, he kissed her raised knee and she giggled, before standing. Pulling a line of condoms from his back pocket, he dropped them on the coffee table and she gave a small laugh.

"That's some magic trick," she teased. "You got a rabbit in your pocket too?"

Logan glanced down at his pants. "No, I'm just happy to see you."

Veronica rolled her eyes, letting her head lean back onto the armrest. Her gaze meet his and she followed his dark eyes as they travelled across her naked body.

"You're so amazing," he murmured, his lips forming a tight line.

Her first instinct was to cover herself with her arms, but instead, she pushed through the feeling. Her eyes skimmed over his muscular body, following the line between his rippling abs down to the edge of his jeans.

Veronica leaned forward, her hands landing on his belt buckle. Keeping her focus on his waist, she gently undid the belt and jeans, giving them a tug to let them drop to the floor. Glancing up at him, a smirk crossed her lips as she hooked her thumbs into the waistband of his boxer-briefs. With a deep breath, she pulled down his underwear, exposing him completely.

A small gasp escaped her at the sight of his nakedness. Carefully, she ran her fingers over him, a deep moan coming from his mouth. She continued to explore him with soft caresses, listening for the exquisite sounds she drew from him.

Logan leaned over to grab one of the condoms and she watched with interest as he slipped it on, before sitting down next to her on the couch. Slipping his hands under her bottom, he guided her to straddle his lap.

"Whenever you're ready, Princess" he said, his large hands spreading across her back. "You're in complete control tonight."

Sitting eye to eye, the two began kissing tenderly, exploring each other once more. Reaching down, Veronica wrapped her hand around him, moving up and down to keep him hard for her.

Gone were the previous feelings of panic and fear. Sinking into the delicious warmth his kisses created in her body, any reservations about what was about to happen fell away. She rose on her knees, easily guiding herself down onto him, the feeling of being filled completely by him making her cry out as he moaned her name.

When they were finally together, Veronica paused, a shudder of ecstasy running through her before she began slowly, rocking her hips against him. The movement pulled a gasp and a groan from Logan, and his head fell back to the edge of the couch. Watching his reactions made Veronica bolder and she dropped her lips to his neck, kissing and sucking his soft flesh.

"Veronica," he called out, grasping her hips with his hands, his fingers sliding between her folds to touch her gently.

"Logan," she replied, her voice straining to a wimper. "Please, please -"

The exquisite building of pleasure began again, as they continued to move. Dropping her head back, she gazed up at the windows above her, the snow falling silently, casting their twinkling starlight through the room.

Closing her eyes, she let herself fall once more, her orgasm washing gently over her like warm water. Logan tensed underneath her before finally giving in to his own release, throbbing deep inside of her.

Veronica dropped her head to Logan's shoulder, her arms wrapped around him, unwilling to let him go. He responded by pulling her closer to him, kissing her forehead.

"That was – " she began, struggling for words.

"Amazing? Beautiful? Earth shattering?" he offered.

Veronica giggled. "All of the above."

"Excellent," he replied, kissing her cheek.

Taking a deep breath, she let out a long sigh of contentment. "Can we do it again?" she asked shyly. "I mean, later. You know, after some hydration and a nap."

Logan chuckled. "Veronica, I intend to do this with you for the rest of my life. If that's okay with you?"

"Really?" she said, looking him in the eye. "Rest of your life, huh?"

"Yeah," Logan replied, a goofy grin overtaking his lips. "If, you know, that would be something you would be into."

Veronica paused. Was it a proposal? A promise? Or just a statement of fact. Either way, her heart began beating wildly.

"Yeah," she replied quietly, brushing a stray hair from his forehead. "The rest of my life sounds just fine."

 **End Note: All of the chapters are titles of songs by the artist Iron & Wine**


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